User:Thimblesflynn

The Fabulous Swing Plumbers is a Jug Band formed 32 years ago in Melbourne, Australia. The original members were brothers, George and David Awburn and cousin Frank Flynn. They are still playing, albeit intermittently.

The three young musicians began busking in the Burke Street Mall in central Melbourne, usually on a Friday night. Most of their paid gigs came from unsolicited approaches made during these busking sessions.

For most of 1983, the band busked and played gigs around Melbourne. They had a regular gig at the Napier Hotel in Fitzroy and the Harp of Erin Hotel in Kew.

David Awburn (stage name: Doctor Jugband) played lead and rythym guitar. George Awburn (stage name: Doctor Bass) played a one string tea chest bass and electric bass guitar. Frank Flynn (stage name: Thimbles Flynn) was the rythym section, playing washboard, assorted hooters, whistles, funny signs and rubber noses.

During the course of 1983, new members joined the band. Steve Waycott (stage name: Styx Wacker Waycott) played drums, Ian Relf (stage name: Relf the Bone) played Trombone, Peter Ford (stage name Pete Fordicus Erectus) played keyboards. These six members became the core of the band and are all still playing today.

Mike Doyle (stage name: Stradivarius) played violin for a time before leaving to pursue other interests.

The Fabulous Swing Plumbers, or just "The Plumbers" as they became affectionately known continued to wow the crowds at various locations around Melbourne during 1983. The Camberwell Market and the Kamikaze Club in South Yarra being favourites. The band also played at many parties and barbecues and at fund raising functions like the Ferntree Gully Firestation.

During 1984 the band was hired to play a fund raising gig at Cohuna in northern Victoria. The profits went to equipping the local high school with much needed technical equipment. It was at this gig, at the Cohuna Memorial Hall where the Fabulous Swing Plumbers played on the very stage that John Farnham was discovered on, some years earlier. The Bee Gees also played Cohuna in the early sixties. The stage was set for a very big musical trajectory.

Unfortunately the boys other careers took precedence and over the next seven years and the Plumbers Played or busted only when all six could get together.

Then in 2000 the band really reformed with all six original members and began playing again in earnest.

They had very crowd pleasing and successful gigs at the Inverloch Jazz Festival and the Apollo Bay Music Festival, going on to win Best Buskers at Apollo bay twice and runners up once in the late 2000's. They are still,playing with their original line up and can be seen around town, but mostly at music festivals around Melbourne and surrounds.